I really enjoyed smoking and didn't really want to quit. I especially enjoyed them when driving, when I first wake up, and right after a meal. I knew I should quit and was tired of trying to hide it from some people who I didn't want to know I smoked. I was tired of my kids and some friends always getting on my back about it. I heard the hospital where I work is soon going to be completely smokefree, which means no smoking at all on hospital grounds. I work 12-hr shifts and can you imagine how that'd be for a smoker to go that long without a cigerette?

The big kicker in getting me to quit was being diagnosed this year with Type 1 Diabetes. With smoking or with Diabetes, you're at a big risk for cardiovascular disease. Put the two together and you are at an even higher risk. Also, cardiovascular disease runs in both sides of my family, which also ups my chances. Numerous family members have had heart attacks, including both my parents. Reality for me really hit when my baby brother died at age 34 this past October 28th of a massive MI (heart attack). He smoked about 2-3 packs a day of Marlboro (red package). He had a 90% blockage in his left main artery and he didn't even know it. We found out with an autopsy.

Tomorrow will be 3 weeks, since I quit. But 5 weeks and 2 days since I started the Chantix. The first week, I noticed I hadn't smoked as much because I still had a partial carton left. I had never smoked less than a carton in a week ever since I first started smoking until that week! The 2nd week, cigarettes just didn't taste right. But I would continue to smoke them anyway. After I had finished that carton (that I'd bought the 1st week), I refused to buy another carton and bought a pack instead. I told myself I'd just smoke until that night and then start up the next day smokefree. Well...I just couldn't let the rest of that pack go to waste. So, I smoked them. I did this for several days and finally, I told myself that after that pack I had the day I quit was empty, I was finished smoking for good. I knew that as long as I kept buying them, I would keep smoking them and I had to quit making excuses.

I have had some minor cravings since quitting, but I just take a big breath of fresh air and get through those cravings. I was really frustrated about some things the other day and was so tempted to go buy a pack of cigarettes. But I reminded myself that it would only be hurting myself and not the person I was angry with. They weren't worth me starting back smoking after all the time I've gone so far without a cigarette and I don't want to have to start all over again in quitting. So, I didn't give in to temptation and the urge passed.

Hi luvmyyorkie!CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING SMOKE FREE FOR 3 WEEKS!! WOOHOO!!!

The next time the cravings come think about this:
The cravings will pass whether you smoke or not. So let it pass without smoking!!!! Smoking is no longer an option!!

I'm so sorry about your brother. It's such a shame! He was so young!!
My son is 35 years old!! Your family must still be in shock over this!!
But at least you are doing something positive to change your future!! I hope you have gotten a good check up and had your cholesterol checked. Did you know that by quitting smoking that you can lower your cholesterol?

Hi Luvmyyorkie
Congrats to you. You're over the worst already.
Are you starting to feel healthier yet? Please keep posting to inspire everyone how it just gets easier and easier. You say you didn't really want to quit but really had to. Most of us had a love/hate relationship with it. The day will come when we wonder how on earth we could have loved such a filthy habit. Let us know when that happens to you.

Luvmyyorkie - Welcome and I'm glad you've decided to quit. Yeah - I can totally relate to the hesitation on quit day. I quit and still had smokes in the house - and still do but they are no longer a temptation to me. Matter of fact, they are going out in the trash tomorrow.

I'm sorry to hear about your younger brother. I worked with two people who smoked and one died of lung cancer at age 46, and the other had a massive stroke right there at work, and died - he was 48. And everybody was so sad, but yet the people kept smoking and they still do - right out back where he had his stroke! And I kept on smoking too - thinking, that could've been me!! That's how strong nicodemon is!!

Glad you're here with us - and this quit is for you, so you can live the rest of your life as a healthy person. Life is too short to smoke it away......